DURING the past century we have had only two voting reforms; votes for women, and the lowering of the voting age from 21 to 18.

I should like to see a visionary Great Reform Act which would give power direct to the people. Is this not in itself the definition of democracy?

John Langford (Mailbag, October 14) calls for our democracy to be updated and refreshed to make it fit for the modern world, rather than the political process simply recycling tired, outdated ideologies, jaded faces and political dogmas.

Our choice at general elections is carefully controlled by the party political machines which offer us their approved candidates.

The consequence is that parliamentary candidates are much of a muchness – mostly it is said from a legal background, with no persons of any real experience – no businessmen, no manufacturers, no engineers and no inventors.

I think we desperately need another Great Reform Act. Great Reform Acts were all in the 19th century when the vote was eventually given to all classes of men – with dire predictions of calamity and catastrophe, with power taken out of the hands of the ruling elite.

Those predictions were not fulfilled; indeed Britain flourished and prospered as never before or since.

With modern technology it is no longer necessary to elect persons to represent the views of the public in Parliament; those views can now be expressed direct, and without delay in what might for want of a better term be called a referendum.

No doubt the idea of the public issuing instructions to the small cabinet of parliamentarians whose sole job would be to transmit those instructions in workable form to the executive which would put them into practice will generate the same furious controversy which greeted those earlier Great Reform Acts.

Politicians will of course fan those flames. The very idea of giving up all that power! In any event, the public just might get it wrong, they would argue, as if they themselves did not regularly get it absolutely wrong.

But I am not alone in having far more confidence in the good sense of the ordinary man (for man also read woman throughout) in the street than I have in any politician.

Patrick O’Brian, a writer for whom I have a huge admiration, has written that ‘the communal mind, even where the community is made up of unthinking and illiterate men, is very nearly infallible as a Council. And the qualities valued by a community of men are commonly good nature, generosity, and courage’.

Others have made similar observations – ‘Vox Populi, Vox Dei’ (The voice of the people is the voice of God) has been both supported and disputed, but it would make a fine slogan in any efforts to achieve an overdue Great Reform Act.

And then we should tackle the reform of local government, which has also gone horribly wrong.

Arthur Quarmby

Holme

Pointless traffic measures

THE vast majority of Meltham Road travellers are, once again, forced to suffer because of the few wrongdoers.

Quite how the proposed new traffic calming measures will stop the accidents I really don’t know.

It’s going to be great fun travelling from Meltham to town and back behind a bus/truck/pensioner at 15mph with nowhere to overtake – unless you’re one of the drivers to whom normal rules don’t apply and you can overtake anywhere.

Don’t worry though, if you do get caught, these days you can rack up 30 points on your licence and keep it – assuming you have one in the first place.

Regarding the vehicle actuated signs, the one already in place at Healey House bend, is so bright and distracting on a dark night it’s a wonder anybody makes it round the corner.

It still makes me jump when it lights up in my mirrors, telling me of the dangerous corner I have just driven round. Surely there’s something wrong there!

I expect the accident rate to go up and will be mainly using a different route.

Easy Driver

Meltham

Stricter punishments

THIS country of ours is now just one catalogue of murders. Sentences dished out should match the crime.

So let’s see hanging brought back. All hooligans, yobs and gangs who are making hell for people should also be severely punished.

If our Government cannot stop our country from going crazy then it’s time we had stricter laws enforced.

I have to say that every MP in the country must know we are too soft and it’s time something changed to put the brakes on all this catalogue of wrongdoing which is going on in every part of Britain. It’s a country of disgrace.

H Barracolough

Waterloo

Wartime memories

I WOULD like to thank Jason McCartney MP, the president, and R H Broadbent, the chairman of Royal Air Force Association, for the invitation to the Remembrance Day Luncheon at the George Hotel.

It brought back memories of when, in Normandy as a radio operator, I assisted the pilots to destroy columns of tanks hidden under the trees with their pilot’s wireless dropped to me previously.

Also the warm reception when I stayed in RAF quarters in London on my leave and visit to Stage Door Canteen, the entertainment for all forces during the war.

After Normandy I was posted to collect information on V2 rockets which were passing every night over our heads. I witnessed a pilot deflecting one which fell only a quarter of a mile away, shaking the ground.

We had already all the information on V1s as an RAF Dakota brought one already defused from occupied Poland, a present from the Polish resistance Army, which was greatly admired by Bomber Command Chief Sir Arthur Harris.

During my work I came across information in which LB Halliday and ICI were marked for bombing. My late wife Carol told me that at school they heard what they called ‘doodlebug’ passing over Huddersfield. To my knowledge some VIs were released from Heinkels from the northern waters.

Tony Sosna

Huddersfield

A lick of paint

KIRKLEES Council is celebrating the 130th anniversary of Huddersfield Town Hall.

They should be ashamed of themselves. They should look at the maintenance which is needed to paintwork. They should do the maintenance, then celebrate.

David Joyce

Armitage Bridge

Furnishing details

I WOULD like to clarify a few personal details regarding the closure of Thatcher’s Furnishings.

John Herbert Thatcher and his wife Florence originally worked for Barrett and Barrett near the railway station. After a fire destroyed the building in 1940, John Herbert and his wife started making up and repairing carpets in Kings Mill Lane.

Mr Thatcher junior, also named Herbert, and his wife Jean, joined the firm which became J H Thatcher and Son.

The firm moved towards the end of the 40s to Albion Street, doing bespoke carpet make-up (ring and pin) and fitting, mainly to the carpet trade.

I joined the firm from school in 1954.

In 1962, larger premises in Threadneedle Street were acquired to display carpets for retailing. There were also work rooms.

Mr Herbert Thatcher and his wife Jean semi-retired to Norfolk in about 1968 and at this time I became a partner in the business.

Additional premises were purchased from Telfers (credit drapers) in Dundas Street around 1979, and the two buildings over the years became integrated as one, forming six showrooms of furnishings.

My wife Beryl helped over the years both in the office and in the curtains department.

Darren Chappell joined the firm in 1981 and became managing director in 1999 when I retired.

Trevor Chappell

Holmfirth

You’ve Bin mistaken

MR KILCOMMONS, being a Blackpool blow-in, is not au fait with the clubs and coffee bars of Sixties Huddersfield.

The Bin (aka The Tatty) was never a rock ‘n’ roll dance hall, more a place where Twiggy lookalikes twitched to Motown on the tiny dance floor.

John Rangeley

Birkby

Wonderful meal

THROUGH your Mailbag column could we thank you for the wonderful meal we had at the Rose and Crown, Cop Hill following winning the Dig out Doug competition. The food was excellent as were the staff.

Janet and John Wilkinson

Dalton